PENGUINS WEEKLY RELEASE - 11/19/12

Beau Bennett’s first multi-goal game of his pro career provided all of the scoring for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 2-1 win against Springfield at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

A scoreless tie was broken at 8:20 of the second period when Bennett completed a give-and-go with Riley Holzapfel. Bennett then gave the Penguins a two-goal cushion with 4:32 left in the same period.

Springfield spoiled Jeff Zatkoff’s shutout bid with 1:43 left in the game, but the Pens goalie finished with 25 saves.

Friday, November 16: PENGUINS 3, Sound Tigers 1…

This time it was Eric Tangradi who was responsible for the entirety of the Penguins offense as his second career hat trick helped down the Sound Tigers, 3-1, in Wilkes-Barre.

All three tallies for Tangradi came on the man-advantage as he opened the scoring 1:32 into the match. He also recorded power play markers at 15:07 of the first and 13:36 of the second to raise his team-leading goal total to nine.

Jeff Zatkoff was in net once again and turned aside 19-of-20 for his sixth win of the season.

Saturday, November 17: Penguins 1, BEARS 4…

Hershey scored goals every which way to send Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 4-1 defeat at GIANT Center.

Garrett Mitchell’s first of a two-goal effort was a shorthanded penalty shot that broke a scoreless tie at12:19 of the first. After Trevor Smith tied the game with a power play goal in the second, Mitchell put the Bears ahead for good with 4:31 left until the break.

Tomas Kundratek also potted a goal on the man-advantage with just 0.4 seconds left until the second intermission. Boyd Kane iced the game for Hershey with an empty-net goal late in regulation.

The Penguins face the Bears for the second time in as many games and for the fourth time this season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is still looking for their first win of the year versus Hershey after a 4-1 loss last Saturday at GIANT Center. At 6-8-1-0, the Bears are in fifth place in the East Division. They have lost six of their last eight with both wins coming against the Penguins.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton hosts the Toronto Marlies for the first time since Dec. 4, 2010 in what was a 5-1 victory for the Penguins. The Marlies have won six out of their last seven to raise their record to 9-5-0-1 and second-place standing in the North Division. Toronto has three players ranked in the league’s top ten in assists: Kazem Kadri (12), Keith Aucoin (11) and Mike Kostka (11).

PENGUINS TEAM LEADERS as of 11/19/12…

PLAYER

GP

G

A

PTS

Beau Bennett

15

3

8

11

Eric Tangradi

15

9

1

10

Paul Thompson

15

3

6

9

Benn Ferriero

15

0

9

9

Two players with eight points

GOALIE

GP

REC

SO

GAA

SV%

Jeff Zatkoff

11

6-5-0

2

1.82

.932

Brad Thiessen

4

2-2-0

0

3.14

.887

EAST DIVISION STANDINGS as of 11/19/12…

TEAM

GP

W

L

OTL

SOL

PTS

1. Syracuse Crunch

14

10

2

1

1

22

2. Binghamton Senators

13

7

4

1

1

16

3. PENGUINS

15

8

7

0

0

16

4. Norfolk Admirals

14

7

7

0

0

14

5. Hershey Bears

15

6

8

1

0

13

ICE CHIPS…

- Goaltender Jeff Zatkoff has won five of his last six games, allowing just seven goals and recording two shutouts. His 1.82 goals against average currently ranks seventh in the AHL.

- A power play goal scored by Hershey was just the second allowed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the road this season. They lead the league with a 94.9% (37-for-39) road penalty kill success rate.

- The Penguins have had multi-goal scorers in their last three home games. Trevor Smith scored twice against Portland on Nov. 10, as did Beau Bennett on Nov. 14 versus Springfield. Eric Tangradi registered his second career hat trick on Nov. 16 as the Penguins downed Bridgeport.

PENGUINS RECENT TRANSACTIONS…

None

PENGUINS OFFER PATRIOTIC TEES TO SUPPORT TROOPS…

In honor of Veterans Day and the services provided by our Armed Forces on a daily basis, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will be offering commemorative patriotic Penguins t-shirts to help benefit the team’s Tickets for Troops program.

These special t-shirts will be available in red, white or blue and feature the Penguins’ triangle logo with an American flag motif. The Penguins Patriot T-shirt will be available for $20 at the Penguins Team Store in the Ice Rink at Coal Street and the Igloo in Mohegan Sun Arena during Penguins home games.